In Their Heads
by Caeghliegh
Summary: When Zuko and Katara meet as kids in the fire nation rather than as teens in the southern water tribe their whole existence changes, OOC because different up bringing.
1. The Meeting

Caeghliegh March 9, 2012

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar the last air bender, Nick does

'who is daddy bringing to play with me today? I cant wait to find out who. Why are these halls so long?' Zuko thought to himself as he walked with his mother to the throne room of the palace he lived in, in the Fire Nation. Zuko stopped at the door as he watched two dark skinned children fighting with his sister Azula. "Zula you don't need to hurt our new playmates" Zuko told his sister.

"Azula, come here, what did I tell you, Zuko go and meet the new childern." Ursa said in a calm voice. "These two young children are Sokka and Katara. They are to be treated like your brother and sister. The only reason they are alive is because they are the chiefs children and they were to be kept alive for some reason or another."

"Hi Katara and Sokka my name is Zuko. I think you already met my sister Azula, so I will show you around. Be careful to keep close because this palace is huge and I get lost on occasion,. It's a good thing that there are servents around or I would still be wandering around." Zuko said keeping his eyes glued to Katara.

"I know your name is Zuko, my mom told me that I would meet you right before she died she said that you would be my older brother along with Sokka. She said you would be able to protect me from any dangers. She also said that she met your mom and your mom said that if your anything like her you'll protect me if it kills you. You seem nice I don't want you to die." Katara spoke in a clear but soft voice. "So how about showing us around, you said it was a huge palace and I want to see the whole thing. We had better get started."

Turning on his heels and walking into the hallway he stopped as soon as he was out of the room. 'Which way' Zuko thought and he heard right in his head. "You said right, right." he asked and Katara and Sokka just looked at him. They looked at Zuko then they looked at each other confusedly and finally answered him.

"No I didn't say anything." Sokka answered as he looked at the decorated walls.

"Not me." Katara mumbled as she looked down at her feet, she had thought it so why was he asking if they said anything out loud.

"Ok well let's go right." Zuko mumbled once again hearing the same voice, 'where are we?' 'We are in the west wing, or where all of the royal family sleeps.' Zuko thought.

"Where are we Zuko?" Sokka asked. Trying to remember the way they came in. 'I think we came in through the front gate and we passed like ten corridors and then we were in the throne room, then we headed right and walked down a hallway and now were here.'

"We are in the west wing, or where the royal family sleeps." Zuko answered, slowly getting annoyed because he had answered the same question twice and he hated repeating himself.

'My brother and I are the chief's kids. The chief in my tribe is like the fire lord here.' Katara thought. 'So it's like we are royalty, but I don't want the title because I know that if I do I might change. I love who I am and I don't want to change.'

'So wouldn't that make you a princess or something like that? And I bet you wouldn't change you're a nice person. I can't see you mean like my dad.' Zuko thought.

'Yeah something like that.' Katara thought absently looking around her, knowing she better had get an idea that she should because she will be living there. 'What do you mean like your dad? Is he a bad man?'

'Well Lady Katara it has been a pleasure to meet you.' Zuko thought causing her to laugh. He thought that he could get used to the melody of her laugh, and the passion in her voice when she talks. 'You can say that.'

"Zuko, how old are you?" Katara asked suddenly, making Zuko and Sokka jump from the sudden noise, simply because not a single word had been said since Sokka asked where they were.

I'm ten. How about you, how old are you?' Zuko asked in his thoughts curiosity getting the better of him. He knew that she couldn't possibly be older than he. She was so small and girls his age were the same height as he is.

'I'm eight.' Katara responded shocked that the prince of the fire nation was curious about her, simply because she was born in the southern water tribe.

"Well, well ZuZu, making friends with the water peasants are we?" Azula asked, purposely calling e water tribe children peasants to try to make them feel upset that they weren't born in the fire nation and born into royalty.

'What is a peasant?' Katara wondered as she tried to put Azula words with a definition. It could only be one of two types of people, rich people and the rest of the population that struggled with trying to make ends meet.

'A peasant is someone that has little money.' Zuko answered bluntly without thinking of her feelings or background. To Katara the thought came too causally for her tastes and it bothered her immensely.

'I didn't have much money. My dad was always worried that he couldn't feed Sokka and I everyday' Katara specified, hurt by Zuko's insensitivity.

'You had a title you were royalty.' Zuko corrected her still with a harsh edge to his thoughts.

"ZuZu hurry up father needs to talk to us, today." Azula remarked in a snarky tone, with a severe amount of impatience.

"Go ahead, mom told me to do something and it will take a little bit to complete. I'll catch up later and I will find out what dad wanted to tell me" Zuko sneered. Zuko took Katara and Sokka through each wing showing them the rooms they would be staying in while they were there. He took them through passage ways, along paths outside the palace and down hallways. After all of the touring was one Zuko looked at Katara with a mischievous smile.

"Sokka now that you have seen the entire palace I must be leaving, oh and Katara, tag you're it." Zuko told them in a monotone voice before he ran down a hallway and disappeared around a corner.

'Zuko I'll get you.' Katara thought and sped down the empty hallway and around the corner he turned before he rounded another corner quickly followed by Katara on his flanks, then he was gone, it seemed like he had just disappeared into thin air.

'Zuko where did you go? I'm lost and I don't remember how I got here help me. Please!' Katara screamed in her thoughts looking around here getting a better view of her surroundings so she could possibly find her way out of this part of the palace.

'What do you see around you? Any one door that looks weird or stands out from the others, what? What and be sure to tell me about other features of the hall. Are there any curtains, what please tell me?' Zuko demanded; there were some areas of the palace off limits to the guests. If she was caught in there she would be punished severely.

'I see a giant blue door between two small green ones. Other than that all I see is red, many portraits and there is a huge curtain along one of the walls it is as long as the wall is tall.' Katara thought.

'Do not move or make a noise! If you do every one will hear you, generals the fire lord and his council. It's amazing that they didn't hear you running up that particular hall. Do me a favor and stay where you're at. Do not come looking for me.' she heard him scream and footsteps come up from behind her.

"Z-" she whispered to him and she saw that he was not wearing any shoes.

All he did was put a finger over his lips and pull on her wrists as if to tell her to follow him somewhere. They walked for a little bit and Zuko broke the silence between them with a quick phrase, saturated in urgency and fear.

"Behind you was the war chamber and you could be punished severely if you were discovered that close without being invited in. Do you see the garden over there; I'll meet you there after the meeting with my father ok. Just promise me you won't go exploring, that could get you banished if you were in the wrong part of the palace" Zuko pointed out through massive columns as he made her promise.

'Ok Zuko' Katara thought 'oh and Zuko tell me what happens during your meeting with your father, promise' Katara thought as he ran back the way they came obviously in a rush. Katara wondered if she had made the prince late to his meeting with his father. 'I promise not to explore the palace without you to make sure we stay out of trouble.'

Zuko ran down hallway after hallway until he rounded the corner he found Katara not even ten minutes ago. He knew his dad was mad and he would have to face his fury.

"Zuko what took you so long to get here?" Ozai asked sternly as soon as Zuko walked in the room oblivious to the stares on his back.

"I had to do something momma asked me to do. I had to follow her request, because if I hadn't I would have been in trouble with you more than I already am." Zuko answered fear clearly etched into his voice.

"And that was?" He asked incredulously, as well as impressed. His fire lady had made a demand and his son followed it.

"To show princess Katara and prince Sokka around the palace and show them where they would be sleeping every night they are here." Zuko muttered with his eyes locked on his feet, he wouldn't dare look his father in the eye about something like this.

"Katara and Sokka are here as guests until they are of age to serve you and the army you will command when you become fire lord. They will be your servants for life. One will serve you almost immediately and the other you will have to allow to mature before she can serve you. You can think about it as she is the first girl in your personal harem." Ozai proudly to his son almost as if he was boasting that his son will be the same man Ozai is.

'Katara, my father said that you are here as guests till you are of age to uh... Serve me. In bad ways but you don't have to now and I want it to be that way.' Zuko thought, fear for his new found friends.

'How old will I have to be to serve you and how will I serve you. I don't know how this is right I don't want to serve under you, I just want to be your friend.' Katara thought fearful of the destiny written out for her.

"How old would that be and how would she serve me exactly?" Zuko asked his father embarrassment clear in his voice.

"She shall be your concubine at sixteen." Ozai said without hesitation.

'Zuko how old will I be, and how exactly will I serve you? What about Sokka, what will become of him? Will we be separated soon or later? Zuko please let me know this much.' Katara begged him.

'You will start at sixteen and you will be a concubine.' Zuko thought with remorse obviously not wanting her to be his sex slave.

'What's a concubine?' Katara asked curious.

'It's a person who pleasures a royal family member or anyone really. They pleasure others without wanting to, it's like being a slave'

'Zuko please don't let me be a concubine please. I don't care what you have to do please anything but that.' Katara thought with terror sewn into her thoughts.

"The boy, Sokka, he shall fight with the rest of the fire nation soldiers." Ozai told his only son, not aware of the pain and fear he was causing in the gardens just outside this room. The only thing was that no one was eavesdropping.

'Katara your brother will fight in the war.' Zuko thought as he stared at his feet fighting the urge to yell at his father and call him a complete fool. Zuko knew he couldn't because that would be shaming his father and the fire lord directly, only fools insulted the fire lord.

"Zuko, both Sokka and Katara will serve under you. Never should a peasant serve with you, no peasant has that right. Sokka will start training next week. He will be sent out to the colonies in two weeks' time." Ozai said as he looked to the ccoulcil that composed of elderly men with the same mindset as Ozai and they merely nodded at him.

Only then did Azula speak up, after Zuko had been give the two water tribe children. "Father I want the next import of slaves." she demanded as Ozai simply laughed and scoffed.

"You can only as long as you can control two hundred grown earth benders. Zuko you are dismissed, Azula step forward." was all Zuko heard before leaving the war chamber That was all he wanted to hear after hearing the fate of the girl and boy that has become his only two friends. 'I've got to find Katara' he thought to himself when he fell to the ground without warning.

"Oh hi Zuko, where are you going?" Sokka asked as he stood up from the fall brushing off invisible dirt.

"I'm going to find Katara because I thought we could watch the turtle ducks out in the garden." Zuko said unsure or her brother's reaction.

"Go ahead, but I do not want to hear her upset about anything, at all." Sokka threatened. The last person that thought they could play with his sister and hurt her got a busted lip.

"I'll make sure that doesn't happen." Zuko promised as he ran off to the garden he pointed her to. "Katara, Katara where are you?" Zuko called when he was hit on his back by a mild splash, Well she was able to see him, that much was clear.

"Hi Zuko, how was your meeting with your dad?" she asked, doing it for show because she knew there were three girls about thirty feet behind where she was sitting..

"It was incredibly, boring nothing that you would be interested in. Because I so am not." Zuko managed to say before he erupted, laughing until his sides hurt, but behind him Sokka was lurking behind them, just waiting for him to hurt her, just waiting for that one insult that would hurt his sisters feelings.

_" he doesn't know that I'm behind him, ha, foolish fire bender he won't know what hit him. The second he hurts Katara he's going to wish he hadn't.'_ Sokka thought completely unknowing of the girls behind him plotting to ambush him and the two benders in the garden.

"Ty-Lee you go to the left and make sure he can't move or talk, Mai I want you to walk around the garden, so that you're behind ZuZu and I will help you Ty-lee and then I go for the water peasant." Azula strategized completely unaware of her mother was standing right behind her listening to the ambush strategy.

"Azula I need you to go to your room and change into something nice while I talk to our new guests, and we will have a little talk about ambushing people.." Ursa said as she made her way toward Zuko and Katara, passing an un-expecting Sokka. "Sokka I need you to come with me to your sister and my son." Ursa said to the young boy. "Zuko, Katara I hear we will not be eating with Ozai but rather ourselves. It will be fun and you will enjoy yourselves. Zuko I need to take Katara and Sokka to introduce them to Azula and her friends or you can seeing how your such good friends with this young girl already.." Ursa said unaware of the connection established by the two benders.

"Momma can we sit around or a little bit longer?" Zuko pleaded, as his mother said he could but only for about fifteen more minutes.

"I want to show you something cool." Katara said as she bended some water out of a nearby pond. She moved her arms with such grace not even his sister could master.

"Katara don't do that it will get you in a lot of trouble like you might get executed or worse thrown in prison, much less hurt here!" Zuko nearly shouted surprised by where the outburst had come from. He wondered why he cared so much if she bended, it's not like he got into trouble when he bended, well this is the _fire_ nation and he did bend _fire_.

"Ok I won't bend." Katara shrugged getting a sinking feeling in the corners of her soul. She knew that if a bender lost their bending they would never be the same, some even go insane.

"Thank you. So much, I know that you know what happens to a bender when they loose their bending but you can practice in secret. I'll help you" was all he could muster up. "You have to go now anyway. I'll see you at supper. Bye!" he shouted as Katara walked across the garden, unaware that his uncle Iroh had seen the entire scene between the two children and knew of the connection the two had between.

'I'm going to have grand babies later, I know it.' Iroh shrugged.

After Zuko told Katara goodbye she ran into that palace looking for Ursa. The hours passed quickly until supper was served.

Iroh looked around to the young girl and boy new to the table, Katara sat beside on his right Zuko and Sokka sat to his left. "Zuko who are these young people?" Iroh asked trying to make small talk with the group of children.

Zuko pointed to Katara who sat beside him, "This is Katara a princess from the southern water tribe." and he pointed to Sokka sitting beside him "This is Sokka prince of the southern water tribe. Their dad is the chief. So that would make them royal, right?" Zuko asked Just to double check his logic as Azula merely glared at him because he was right this time.

"It seems about so. Why don't you ask their father, the cheif." Iroh said as Hakoda walked in with his head held high as if nothing could bring him down. He carried himself with confidence, something people walk in with but always leave without, due to fear of the fire lord.

"Is Katara and Sokka royalty?" Zuko asked bluntly not addressing the chiefs title as he should have.

"Yes they are, and they should be treated as such, why do you ask such a simple question?" Hakoda asked simply blowing off the informalities.

"Ozai is making Sokka serve in the war, and at sixteen making Katara become a concubine." Iroh muttered to Hakoda and the children's father turned red in the face with anger. Before long the fire nation would have their leader chewed a new one for such an irresponsible and rude way for taking care of royalty.

"Iroh I want you to take my children away, even if that means that sneaking them out of here. I do not want my daughter to be defiled before marriage and I refuse to have my son die on the front lines of battle without having a family first." Hakoda asked clearly infuriated. "Get them into the earth kingdom tonight, Iroh I am not asking much, just take care of my children. Please?" Hakoda asked well aware of what he was doing and the consequences of it.

"Children, it is clearly time to go." Iroh said.

"Dad are you coming with us?" Katara asked tears building up in her eyes threatening to spill over.

"I'll do my best but I can't promise anything." Hakoda mumbled to his daughter giving her a kiss on her forehead. He knew this might be the last time he may ever see his children.

In a matter of a few minutes the two children had their stuff packed up and was saying their goodbyes, except Zuko who was anticipating getting on the ship and staying with Katara.

"Uncle may I go to help you with Sokka and Katara? I could also work on my bending." Zuko asked, although he already knew the answer.

"If you are going get your stuff ready to go. Ill meet you at the ship in five minutes." Iroh told his nephew.

Not even five minutes had passed and Zuko was holding a small bag that looked like it could only hold at most three different outfits.

"Hakoda I will keep them in the same condition." Iroh promised Hakoda as the two men and three children walked out of the back entrance of the palace.

7


	2. Chapter 2

"Sokka, Katara I'll show you to your room." Zuko said walking them through different hallways. Coming to the first room, "Sokka this will be your room, so you can unpack, I have a feeling we will be on here for a really long time." Zuko said as he walked farther down a long hallway. "Katara, here is where you will be sleeping and doing your girly things so I'll give you some privacy." Zuko said leaving the room and as soon as he shut the door he stopped short of turning around completely, just because he thought he had heard anything.

Zuko worked his way back to the deck and found his uncle left of the door where he emerged, Zuko spent no time in getting to his uncle and asked him "Uncle earlier today, when I met Katara we could hear each other's thoughts and it was so weird. I don't know how or why it even happened, it just did. Do you have any idea how I can control this gift or curse or whatever this is? Isn't there a legend from thousands of years ago or something that could possibly explain this phenomenon?" Zuko asked with concern clearly written all over his face and laced within every word he spoke.

Iroh looked at him with astonishment. "Zuko that is no curse it was rumored that among the dragons, once they found their mate and that was a truly beautiful sight to see; they could hear each other's thoughts and speak like that. It is said that after hearing each other's thoughts for a prolonged period of time they would soon be able to feel each other's emotions, such as if one of them was in pain they both were in pain. Then a few or more years would pass and then they would be able to interact in each other's dreams changing little aspects of them like the color of flowers that fits them best. But, only when they had their first born child would they truly be able to see through each other's eyes." Iroh managed to tell all in one short breath, stunning Zuko.

Iroh knew that the connection between his nephew and the tribal girl will never be severed, no matter how much they tried to stop it. Only Iroh did not tell Zuko this and let him was the question that he truly with wanted to ask.

"How did you even remember that?" Zuko asked astonished at both the legend and how old it must have been. Dragons haven't been around for thousands of years, or so he was told.

"I've told it to countless people before you." Iroh lied. "And it's still a blessing to have found your mate." Iroh looked around, he had only read that particular legend once, and that was for trying to learn about the nation's history of fire lords. Only once have any of the fire lords had that type of connection and it was the first one to be appointed as the fire lord.

"Thanks a lot uncle." Zuko thanked showing himself to his room he thought he would get so much more done that what he had actually gotten completed.

'Katara I need to talk to you about something huge; meet me in my room' he thought feeling guilty for what he was about to tell Katara.

'I'm still in my room give me a second to get down the hallway' she thought as she walked across the hall 'I'm there'

Zuko walked, but he practically ran down the hallway to his room when he got there he paused briefly thinking of the consequences of what will come from this confrontation before he entered.

"Katara I found out why we can hear each other's thoughts." Zuko told her before retelling the legend to her much shorter than Iroh had made it out to be.

"So you're saying that were soul mates and we'll have children in years to come." Katara mumbled before allowing the whole idea sunk in. "Zuko I only think of you as a friend that and I just met you I couldn't have a baby with you." Zuko knew what she meant as he was also uneasy about the legends Every account in history that this legend played a role in, occurred exactly how the legend played out, there where two people had a baby and they were connected psychically.

Days passed and they blended into weeks, weeks into months. Then out of the blue one day when Zuko was practicing his bending he was overcame by fear. No one else seemed to notice but his uncle. "Zuko what's wrong? Why are you afraid?" Iroh asked so lowly no one, even if they were listening could have heard, concerned for his nephew.

"I don't know uncle I was practicing when all of a sudden I feel afraid." was all Zuko managed to say when he heard Zhao from another ship one that seemed to emerge out of nowhere.

"Hand over the children Iroh or I will take them prisoner or they will be executed the next time you find a port for treason." He demanded unknowing of how many benders were on board. He added the threat to the ending to make it seem that the children had no other choice.

"Zuko go get Katara, it appears that your sparring has come to your benefit. Go! NOW!" Iroh yelled at the young man.

Zuko ran straight to her room and told her to come with him, he did the same with Sokka. The three ran to the deck and immediately Katara began to build an ice shield around the ship as Sokka and Zuko fought to keep the ship from being boarded by Zhao and his crew. Katara stopped as she bended a huge wave pulling the ship along with it. She worked and worked until she was weak and even then she worked with Zuko. They fought off Zhao's soldiers until he tried to board and then Katara used the current and pushed the ship out of Zhao's sight. Only then did she pass out from exhaustion only when the ones she loved were out of harm's way. Zuko heard her hit the deck with a loud crash and he called for a healer and was told she needed to rest, that she was going to need to work harder when they sparred and she needed to practice more than she already was. Zuko looked at Katara feebly and whished there was something he could do anything. Days later she woke up refreshed and well.

"What happened all that I remember is I fell unconscious. How long was I asleep?" She asked rubbing the sandpaper feeling out of her eyes then blinking.

She heard Sokka answer "You have been out for days. Are you ok? You have to be thirsty. Would you like something to drink? What about something to eat?" worriedly asked Sokka. Katara knew that he was protective but she didn't know that he was this obsessive making sure that she was well.

"Sokka I want to see Zuko. Can I see him? Is he ok? I saw him get burned and I want to heal him. ZUKO!" Katara shouted. "Are you ok? Is your arm ok? Have you been healed? Do I need to heal you?" she demanded as Zuko walked into her chambers. He knew that the first thing that she would do was make sure everyone was ok.

"No Katara I'm fine look no burn no scar nothing." he told her and she saw nothing that would make her worry about his physical well-being. He made it a point to show her that he wasn't scarred. 'I know you're worried but you have nothing to worry about.'

"Zuko took a blast of fire while I made the last wave." she told everyone, she knew what she saw and it bothered her that Zuko was blowing it off like waking up for school on a Monday morning.

"Katara I went to sleep with it burnt and I woke up to it wrapped in glowing blue water though it was quite warm for a water bender." Zuko said. "Not much later it was healed completely, not even a scar was visible from the incident. Thank you." Zuko said while giving her a kiss on her cheek to show just how thankful he was for her healing him, when she just as easily could have frozen his arm off. "How were you able to heal me while unconscious? That, I want to know, because there has never been a bender that can bend while unconscious in the history of any of the four nations and I think it's amazing. You did it the first night you were out of it. I was terrified that I was going to lose my arm due to frostbite." Zuko asked bewildered looking at his arm for the millionth time since it had healed.

The days following were filled to the brim with intense training for Katara, she slowed down her pace when she got tired, every time she got tired. They had been training for hours and they had managed to get Katara's basic training down. Now they were sparring to see if she could apply her basics to a spar.

'Katara the more you slow down you the higher the possibility you could get killed' Zuko thought as he threw another fireball at her, which fizzled when she threw a ball of ice at him. Zuko was able to get some fire bending stances to work with Katara's bending and it worked out well for the most part. She couldn't be as firm with the stances and her attacks were weak.

Slowly she began to get stronger as she saw to that she drank a lot of water, frequently. Before long that was part of her routine. And the months seemed to pass by like sand in a child's hands. In what didn't seem to be very long at all, they were fully fledged teenagers. Zuko and Sokka were sixteen years old and Katara was fourteen.

As Katara and Zuko grew so did their emotions for each other. They denied it every chance they got and the more they denied it the more everyone else saw the budding romance. Every so often Katara would walk to Zuko's room and just talk about anything, just so she could hear his voice. Other times he would see her and talk to her for the same reason she went to him for.

Katara tiptoed to Zuko's room, knowing that she didn't make a audible sound but when she got to his door all she heard was 'Katara come in while you're at it I know you want to talk, but this late?' Zuko thought.

'I wasn't making a sound. How did you know that I was coming to your room?' Katara thought as she opened his door. "Zuko how did you know?" Katara demanded as the two teenagers heard Sokka yell "Zhao's here for a visit! Go get Katara and Zuko! NOW!"

"Katara move!" Zuko yelled, not knowing he yelled.

"Zuko we are going to the same place so screw off!" Katara yelled back as she ran to the deck and looked at the damage being caused.

Katara and Zuko charged the center of the deck and she immediately formed a water whip and he formed fire whips. The couple took on soldier after soldier until the deck was almost completely cleared. Sokka saw them and joined the duo. Making a trio. Iroh saw them and laughed to himself as Zhao walked onto the ship.

"Iroh and Zuko, I will be taking the water tribe children to the capitol." Zhao told them with no negotiation clear in his voice. Katara and Zuko merely looked at each other and they laughed. "What's so funny?" Zhao demanded.

"You think you can take me and my brother back to the fire nation without uncle, Zuko, my brother and myself fighting your troops and yourself." Katara mocked "You are sadly mistaken because we don't want to go, why do ou think we left in the first place." She said as she flung several ice daggers at him, followed up by a water whip.

"I will not leave without the children!" Zhao yelled as he was knocked back by a blast of fire coming from Iroh's general direction.

"Zhao you will not take them!" Iroh yelled. Then Katara made a massive wave and made it crashed it onto the deck knocking Zhao off his feet and pulled up another one this time washing Zhao off the deck as Katara pushed the ship forward.

"Katara tell us when you get remotely tired. You don't need to fall asleep for a week like last time." Zuko told her as he remembered being lonely for a week.

"Ok I promise and I wont fall asleep, but I will get as far away as possible." she said without a fault in her bending.

'Please not again.' he thought.

Before long she stopped abruptly, looking around. 'Zuko, I'm done get the engines running.' she thought as she sat down. Iroh looked around as he walked up to her and told her " Katara I need you Sokka and Zuko to get off of this ship the next time we port. We cant risk Zhao finding you three now after you washed him off our ship he will be angry and will stop at nothing to take you back to the fire nation. We will be docking in the next few hours, thank you for pushing us this far we will get you to safety and I promise you, you will be protected by Zuko and your brother. I saw the way he reacted to Zhao when he said that he will not leave without you and Sokka. I need to tell Zuko. Wait I need you to tell him and your brother. Katara I'm counting on you to make sure you get off this ship, now go pack." Iroh told her way to calmly for the current situation.

'Zuko go get my brother and get to my room. NOW!' Katara demanded in her thoughts knowing Zuko wouldn't question her because of her tone.

'Why? What happened?' Zuko wondered concerned. She never was this aggressive about anything and considering what's happened in the past few weeks, nothing good will come out of what she has to tell him.

'We're leaving' Katara thought.


	3. Chapter 3

Katara walked through the port with Zuko and Sokka on her heels. 'Katara wait up, I know uncle was serious about getting off the ship but we just set foot on land and if we keep our pace we'll be on another ship in one day's time.' Zuko thought making Katara stop in her tracks.

"Katara, where's the fire?" Sokka asked as he ran right into her.

"Uh we need to get out of the coastal region because Zhao will stop at nothing to find us, and Zuko you father is ruthless as it is no offense" Katara snapped.

"None taken, and your right we'll have to disguise ourselves" Zuko informed. "I'll be Lee Katara you'll be Kira and Sokka you'll be Nuka. As it stands we've spent way too much time standing here. We leave for the water tribes, as soon as we find a way to get there." Zuko told the teens. He felt waves of anger radiating off of her. 'Katara are you ok?' he thought concerned for the boy.

"Zuko are you sure? I don't think that we will be able to get very far before people begin to realize just who we are. Remember we are the run-away children from the fire-nation because we have oh so long before Ozai has to incarnate you. Well we do need to see Gran-Gran anyway. Let's go. Now!" Sokka said with an expression that read determination.

"We get on the next ship to the southern water-tribe" Katara demanded as she walked off. Zuko looked at Sokka and yelled in his thoughts 'KATARA WHAT THE HELL! WHERE ARE YOU GOING? WE CAN'T GET BACK ON A SHIP, WHAT IF ZHAO FINDS US? AGAIN?' I won't have you get hurt. But if we must I am going to paint your skin, just in case and I'll find a way to hide my scar and ill have Sokka paint himself too, just so you won't have to worry about him.' Zuko soothed as he felt Katara's panic.

'Zuko are you sure that this will work?'

'I'm sure of it.'

"Hey you too what's going to happen?" Sokka asked.

"You and Katara are going to have to paint your skin and I'm going to find a way to hide my face. Oh and if there is a raid, never mind, come with Katara and me. We are going to get disguises and we will hide, and well." Zuko laid the plan out so well it was idiot-proof.

"Do I have to paint?" Sokka whined.

"Yes you do, if I have to than you will too. Let's go." Katara scowled.

The three walked around the village to find a place with clothing and paint. They searched the entire village until they came to a small store. 'Zuko look for anything you like and tell Sokka to do the same thing.'

'Ok' "Nuka look for anything you might like."

"Ok Lee."

After the trio found clothing and paint, they paid for it with two silver pieces.

"I'm hungry" Sokka announced to the world.

"We know, here go get you some meat." Katara said handing him a few silver pieces. "Zuko and I will be putting on disguises at the inn." Katara informed.

"Katara you're taking forever." Zuko whined. Finally Katara stepped out of the bathroom.

"How do I look?" She asked innocently.

"Beautiful, pale, but beautiful none-the-less." He murmured gawking at his companion.

"Ok let's go." She said, more like an order.

They all went to the docks looking for a ship leaving to the South Pole. Luckily they caught the last one.

"We are leaving now, well get aboard if you're going." The captain bellowed.

"Of course, Lee and Kira, come on now we don't have time."

"We're coming _Nuka_." Katara sneered as she passed her brother boarding the ship. They were shown their rooms, Zuko adding that he and Katara were married, showing the necklace, all the while earning a glare from Sokka.

Once the men were alone Zuko clarified his statement earlier. "I only said that because the captain at the end of the voyage. I figured if I saved us some money we will have more lately for supplies." Zuko told him making Sokka hungry.

"Don't hurt my sister." Sokka muttered darkly.

"I won't, you have my word, by the way come see me and her every day of this voyage."

Zuko told him.

The trip to the South Pole was about three weeks, and every day Sokka visited Zuko and Katara, scheming on how to loose Zhao. Before they knew it they were at the South Pole unloading supplies when the captain walked up to the trio.

"I want two gol" he was cutoff with Katara putting the gold into his hand gently. "Thank you for keeping us." She thanked before she turned around and stood frozen in place. In front of her stood her Gran-Gran.

"GRAN-GRAN" the two water tribe teen screamed in unison.

"Katara, Sokka. I've missed you very much." She said with much enthusiasm.

"Us too." Sokka blurted out.

"Why aren't you in the fire nation?"

"I was receiving a death sentence and Katara would be a concubine for Zuko. The funny thing was Zuko told us to pack our bags and we left our fates and are doing our own thing." Sokka informed her

"Zuko, the fire-lords son?" She asked baffled.

"Yes him"

"Zuko, come here." The elder ordered. "Did you save my two grandchildren from horrible fates?

"I did." He answered politely.

"Thank you." She said, looking at her grandchildren and laughing at their expressions.

"Why did you do it?"

"I did it because Sokka would probably be dead and Katara would have her honor stolen from her. Neither of them would deserve that, so we left when Katara was eight." Zuko explained his actions.

"Call me Gran-Gran." The woman said.

"By the way where is Katara's father?" Zuko asked, terrified when he heard a voice behind him "Behind you." Zuko turned and felt small when he saw the man that was just behind him. He saw that if his beloved's father wanted to kill him, he would have already.

"Sir how much of that did you hear?" Zuko asked.

"I heard enough. Thank you for saving my daughter, from being a whore. She deserved much more than that and she is getting that now. Thanks to you." Hakoda "Why did you want to talk to me?"

"Would you mind if we talked in a building or somewhere else?" Zuko asked very quietly.

"Sure." The father answered. Walking with Zuko into a building cheerfully. "YOU WANT TO WHAT!" the older man yelled. That alone caught everyone's attention and Katara felt a large amount of anxiety. Minutes seemed like hours, and then the two men came walking out of the building laughing.

"Sokka we need to talk. Now!" Hakoda hollered.

Sokka faced Zuko "What did you do? No what did you ask of my father?" Sokka stormed off catching the glance to Katara and ran toward his father.

Zuko and Katara watched the scene and then Katara was feeling nauseous from the whole situation. "Katara I did nothing wrong."

All Katara did was look at him like he was as insane as his sister.

"What?" Zuko asked.

"Nothing mind if I go on a walk." Katara wondered.

"No go ahead."

Katara walked out of the village and out toward the ocean. When she got there she looked around her and saw that there was no one that hunted water benders around so she began to step through the water-bending moves she knew how to do at the moment, practicing hard. Katara formed water whips and was targeting ice-burgs in the water working ok her accuracy, speed and her precision and strength.

"Amazing" She murmured looking at one, and pulling her whip down hard on it, capsizing it. She saw that someone was in it and attacked it until it cracked and finally broke. Ice went everywhere. Katara was blown away and she was blinded by a white light.

"Whoa. What happened?" Asked a small voice she'd never heard before.

"Who are you?" Katara asked still blinking her eyes.

"I'm Aang. What's your name?" The voices owner chirped.

"Katara. I have to get home. Now." She said stumbling backward.

"I can give you a ride back." He said.

"That would be nice." Katara said as she saw a huge flying bison being the little boy.

"Let's go. YIP YIP!" he yelled as Katara got into the saddle on the bison's back.

"It's the only little village with a port. Right there." She said pointing out her home. She thought flying wasn't that bad it was just landing.


	4. Chapter 4

Previously:

"**Whoa. What happened?" Asked a small voice she'd never heard before.**

**"Who are you?" Katara asked still blinking her eyes.**

**"I'm Aang. What's your name?" The voices owner chirped.**

**"Katara. I have to get home. Now." She said stumbling backward.**

**"I can give you a ride back." He said.**

**"That would be nice." Katara said as she saw a huge flying bison being the little boy.**

**"Let's go. YIP YIP!" he yelled as Katara got into the saddle on the bison's back.**

**"It's the only little village with a port. Right there." She said pointing out her home. She thought flying wasn't that bad it was just landing.**

When the two arrived back to Katara's village, people were screaming at Zuko accusing him of using the two children to raid the southern water tribe.

"What's going on?" Katara demanded.

"They think I'm trying to raid you and I'm here to try to make a difference in your lives. A good one at that and I'm nothing like my father. If I were to take the throne now there would be no war no fighting in the other nations. It's taken so much out of the world. All I want is peace for the first time in my life and I think the same for you." Zuko asserted.

"War there was never a war and there was only peace in the world. What happened?" Aang asked.

"We've been at war for one hundred years. Well at least. The fire nation tried to kill off the air benders. But every so often a few air benders stumble through here." Gran-Gran said. "The fire nation thinks the avatar is dead and so they have been warring for as long as any of us can remember."

"You mean I was in that ice burg for a hundred years." Aang asked incredulously.

"Yeah" Katara mumbled. "Zuko we will help train him until he surpasses us then we will get him a master. For now, we dine." Katara mumbled, smelling the food from the kitchen.

Supper came and went and before long it was time to sleep, for our quartet would be leaving at dawn. However during the night Katara had a horrible nightmare of fire consuming her mother. She woke up screaming, waking everyone up from peaceful slumber. Zuko, the first one to her side had wrapped his arms around her to reassure nothing was wrong. He thought otherwise as she told him of how a raid came looking for all of the water-benders and her mother was brutally killed for protecting her. By telling him that story she also told him how she got her necklace.

"I'll protect you by any means, so will your father and brother. See if you have any problems you should come to us about it. Katara we all love you, just not the same way." Zuko reassured her.

"Zuko I love you." She blurted out. All he did was stare at her as if he heard angles sing a small smile stretching his lips.

"Dawn is in about an hour from now, do you think that you will be able to go back to sleep.?" Zuko asked.

"Probably not." She answered pulling her down to lye beside her.

In an hour the four traveling companions were already saying their goodbyes, thinking it was too soon for them to part but Sokka, Katara, Zuko, and Aang all had to go and protect the world, or undo some of the wrong things the thing the fire-lord had done wrong to the people of the earth kingdom and water tribes.

"Dad I'm going to miss you a lot, so will Sokka when he stops eating." Katara mumbled while hugging her father, secretly not wanting to leave him.

'Katara I know you don't want to leave but we have to. We need to train Aang. Let's go.' She heard in her head.

"Sokka let's go!" Zuko yelled.

"Coming, I just need to grab a few things first." Was all Katara and zuko heard before they heard a large crash and Sokka walking out of their fathers hut with a huge bag of food. All Katara did was shake her head and glanced at her father who by no means broke out in laughter.

"Sokka do you really need all of that food?" Hakoda asked quizzically.

"Is that a trick question?" Sokka asked in response.

"Get on the bison Sokka, you and Katara have a long journey ahead of you I suggest going to one of the air temples, preferably far away from here. We don't need any fire nation soldiers thinking that we have anything they desire." Hakoda told the four youth.

As they flew away from the South Pole Katara looked at Zuko and was astonished by what she saw. She looked at him and found that he was looking at her wide-eyed.

'Katara are you pregnant?' she heard.

'As far as I know, no because I'm still a virgin, why do you ask?' she wondered

'You were just talking to me.' He replied smugly.

'Shut up.' Katara thought aggressively.

"What's with the dirty look, Katara?" Sokka asked.

"Oh it's something Zuko said." Katara replied.

"Whatever." Sokka said then everything was quiet again.

After hours of flying the four finally came across the southern air temple. "Katara, I'm hungry. Feed me." Sokka complained.

"In a minute, Zuko and I have to even the score." Katara growled after seeing the smug smile and his constant picking. All she did was send a huge wave of water and soaked Zuko before he had time to react. Soaked Zuko looked innocently and astonished of how hard that she hit him. "Well that hurt." He mumbled.

"It wasn't meant to hurt. Sorry." Katara said apologetically, walking over to him with a glowing hand. When she saw the extent of the damage he looked burnt. She immediately began to try to heal him but nothing was happening. "Zuko did I burn you or was that wave cold to you?" She asked him.

"That wave was so cold it felt hot." he replied.

"What do you think it was?" she mused more to herself than the injured boy beneath her.

"Remember what I asked earlier and you need to find out if you are or not. Not everything can be based off of myths and legends." Zuko said bluntly. "Oh by the way Sokka and Aang are wanting you to make dinner." He mumbled earning a glare from Katara. "If you weren't a water bender you would be a fire bender." keeping her glare.

"Fine." She grunted and ran to the kitchen and began to prepare for the group, about thirty minutes later supper was done and the group sat down to eat when Aang made a statement. "I don't eat meat."

"Give it to Sokka." The lone girl said. 'Zuko im going to bed.' Katara thought as she left the group for her room. Once there she just wondered 'sometimes I wish there was another girl with us.' Suddenly she heard a few quick raps on her door making her jump. "Come in." she simply stated.

"Katara you barely ate, what's wrong?" Her brother asked.

"Sokka I'm fine I'm just a little tired. So let me go to sleep, good night. We leave for Kyoshi island tomorrow. Make sure everyone knows." Katara told her brother before he left and she fell into a deep sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Previously**

"**Katara you barely ate, what's wrong?" Her brother asked.**

**"Sokka I'm fine I'm just a little tired. So let me go to sleep, good night. We leave for Kyoshi island tomorrow. Make sure everyone knows." Katara told her brother before he left and she fell into a deep sleep.**

The next morning before everyone woke up Katara already had breakfast made and was off practicing her water bending when a familiar voice spoke up. "Water bender I never really liked you but. I want you help. I want to take my father out." Hearing this shocked her especially from who it was coming from.

"Azula see that's where I have to stop you because if you really want my help I will not be attacked by you Ty-lee or Mai. You've asked three times now and you couldn't comply with my bargain, I know you, all you will do is go along with it until your father is out of power so you can have the throne and have the group taken prisoner for treason against the fire nation. I will not be a prisoner of someone who stabbed me in the back. So if you really want your father taken out let Zuko become fire lord no matter the damage it does to your ego." Katara told the girl with no hint of fear in her voice, simply because if there was anything that this girl could do to her that she would have done it already.

"Fine I agree but ZuZu finds out before you leave for Kyoshi Island. Better yet here he comes, he does not look happy, ill be over there." Azula said as she ran away and into hiding.

"Why are we leaving for Kyoshi so soon after we left the southern water tribe Katara?" Zuko asked calmly not expecting the answer he was about to get, "and who were you talking to?"

"Zuko I want to, that and we need to pick up supplies for Aang, for dinner. To answer your second question, I have been talking to Azula for a while, and we made a compromise, Shell help up take down your father if and only if she leaves the throne. We have been compromising for a while now, and we have come to that." Katara mumbled calmly and cooly.

"You're telling me that Azula, my psychotic sister, wants to take our father down? Are you crazy?" Zuko asked unbelievable to what he was hearing. "Better yet are you lying to me?"

"No she's not, Katara wouldn't lye." Azula said with a smile on her lips. "We have been compromising; you have no idea of how much is going on, do you? Father wants to take over and for once he's wrong. He doesn't realize that the earth kingdom and the water tribes have treaties with each other. Would you believe that I can't be there anymore, because he thinks that he is supreme. He doesn't see the damage he is doing to the nation." Azula said.

"Well since you put it like that you not so crazy, but still." Zuko said all that Katara did was glare at him. He didn't know when to just stop talking ever. "Katara why do you believe her anyway, she always lies." Zuko asked.

"I believe her because from her first time coming to me all she wanted the throne, and then she eventually became concerned for her nation. She was never crazy only misunderstood. Zuko this is what you need to hear because you won't listen to her, and you will me. She's coming with us to Kyoshi, do I make myself clear? Zuko, do you understand?" Katara asked.

"Ok I understand, but she is not flying with us. Katara do you know that you have exposed Aang?" Zuko asked

"Who or what is Aang?" Azula wondered, and all Katara did was look at Zuko like he saying something he shouldn't be saying. "What?" he asked.

"Come on, were about to leave Azula." Katara said as she walked away smugly, even though in the back of her head that she would pay for that later. Katara walked back to camp and woke up her brother and Aang telling them they had a new addition to their group.

"Katara do you have to wake us up so early? I mean seriously?" Sokka asked.

"Yes, I do we are getting ready to leave, with Zuko and Azula she has asked for help to overthrow the fire lord four times now and we finally came to a compromise. That is all you need to know. Aang get up!" Katara shouted. "We will be leaving in half an hour, breakfast is done."

Zuko heard the yelling coming from Katara and ran around looking for her. 'KATARA QUIT YELLING!' he thought.

"Zuko I'm right around the corner you don't have to yell" Katara told him.

"Could've fooled me." Zuko retorted.

"Zuko not now." Katara grumbled as two scared looking boys ran by the two. Sokka stopped long enough to tell Zuko that he was one brave man.

"Katara well I need to tell you something. I want you to be careful of Azula." Zuko murmured.

'I know, you think I trust her, you must be insane, I couldn't even if my life depended on it.' She thought. ' let's go this room's clear of all our belongings.'

Katara looked around the corner to see if anyone was coming and she pulled Zuko in the room behind her and kissed him lightly but still hard enough to make his knees weak.

Katara and Zuko walked back to the group laughing through corridors and hallways back to the rest of the group. At once when they arrived to the kitchen everyone looked at the duo, curious and accusing looks at Katara.

"What?" she asked.

"Why did you say it was ok for Azula, Ty-lee, and Mai to join us on our rebellious actions toward the fire nation?" Aang asked.

"We need them and they are willing to go against their country, families, and probably even willing to lose the idea of honor that the fire nation has and earn their true honor." Katara proclaimed "Ladies this won't be easy for the three of you, but at least you're willing to do something for the rest of the world. Are you ready to go?" Katara asked.

"Yeah we are." Was all that was said and then the gaang took flight east for Kyoshi island. They arrived two days later at Kyoshi and the girls immediately went to the market. "Ladies we are not here for weapons, only food and clothes. Follow me." Katara told them looking at mai and ty-lee when she said weapons. Katara and the three girls walked around and found plenty of food. The only problem is when the Azula and mai couldn't have the finest clothing.

"Why cant we have the nicer robes?" Azula asked.

"We need disguises you cant walk into the fire nation like that and expect not to be recognized." Katara pointed out.


	6. The Big Reveal

**Previously**

"**Katara you barely ate, what's wrong?" Her brother asked.**

**"Sokka I'm fine I'm just a little tired. So let me go to sleep, good night. We leave for Kyoshi island tomorrow. Make sure everyone knows." Katara told her brother before he left and she fell into a deep sleep.**

The next morning before everyone woke up Katara already had breakfast made and was off practicing her water bending when a familiar voice spoke up. "Water bender I never really liked you but. I want you help. I want to take my father out." Hearing this shocked her especially from who it was coming from.

"Azula see that's where I have to stop you because if you really want my help I will not be attacked by you Ty-lee or Mai. You've asked three times now and you couldn't comply with my bargain, I know you, all you will do is go along with it until your father is out of power so you can have the throne and have the group taken prisoner for treason against the fire nation. I will not be a prisoner of someone who stabbed me in the back. So if you really want your father taken out let Zuko become fire lord no matter the damage it does to your ego." Katara told the girl with no hint of fear in her voice, simply because if there was anything that this girl could do to her that she would have done it already.

"Fine I agree but ZuZu finds out before you leave for Kyoshi Island. Better yet here he comes, he does not look happy, ill be over there." Azula said as she ran away and into hiding.

"Why are we leaving for Kyoshi so soon after we left the southern water tribe Katara?" Zuko asked calmly not expecting the answer he was about to get, "and who were you talking to?"

"Zuko I want to, that and we need to pick up supplies for Aang, for dinner. To answer your second question, I have been talking to Azula for a while, and we made a compromise, Shell help up take down your father if and only if she leaves the throne. We have been compromising for a while now, and we have come to that." Katara mumbled calmly and cooly.

"You're telling me that Azula, my psychotic sister, wants to take our father down? Are you crazy?" Zuko asked unbelievable to what he was hearing. "Better yet are you lying to me?"

"No she's not, Katara wouldn't lye." Azula said with a smile on her lips. "We have been compromising; you have no idea of how much is going on, do you? Father wants to take over and for once he's wrong. He doesn't realize that the earth kingdom and the water tribes have treaties with each other. Would you believe that I can't be there anymore, because he thinks that he is supreme. He doesn't see the damage he is doing to the nation." Azula said.

"Well since you put it like that you not so crazy, but still." Zuko said all that Katara did was glare at him. He didn't know when to just stop talking ever. "Katara why do you believe her anyway, she always lies." Zuko asked.

"I believe her because from her first time coming to me all she wanted the throne, and then she eventually became concerned for her nation. She was never crazy only misunderstood. Zuko this is what you need to hear because you won't listen to her, and you will me. She's coming with us to Kyoshi, do I make myself clear? Zuko, do you understand?" Katara asked.

"Ok I understand, but she is not flying with us. Katara do you know that you have exposed Aang?" Zuko asked

"Who or what is Aang?" Azula wondered, and all Katara did was look at Zuko like he saying something he shouldn't be saying. "What?" he asked.

"Come on, were about to leave Azula." Katara said as she walked away smugly, even though in the back of her head that she would pay for that later. Katara walked back to camp and woke up her brother and Aang telling them they had a new addition to their group.

"Katara do you have to wake us up so early? I mean seriously?" Sokka asked.

"Yes, I do we are getting ready to leave, with Zuko and Azula she has asked for help to overthrow the fire lord four times now and we finally came to a compromise. That is all you need to know. Aang get up!" Katara shouted. "We will be leaving in half an hour, breakfast is done."

Zuko heard the yelling coming from Katara and ran around looking for her. 'KATARA QUIT YELLING!' he thought.

"Zuko I'm right around the corner you don't have to yell" Katara told him.

"Could've fooled me." Zuko retorted.

"Zuko not now." Katara grumbled as two scared looking boys ran by the two. Sokka stopped long enough to tell Zuko that he was one brave man.

"Katara well I need to tell you something. I want you to be careful of Azula." Zuko murmured.

'I know, you think I trust her, you must be insane, I couldn't even if my life depended on it.' She thought. ' let's go this room's clear of all our belongings.'

Katara looked around the corner to see if anyone was coming and she pulled Zuko in the room behind her and kissed him lightly but still hard enough to make his knees weak.

Katara and Zuko walked back to the group laughing through corridors and hallways back to the rest of the group. At once when they arrived to the kitchen everyone looked at the duo, curious and accusing looks at Katara.

"What?" she asked.

"Why did you say it was ok for Azula, Ty-lee, and Mai to join us on our rebellious actions toward the fire nation?" Aang asked.

"We need them and they are willing to go against their country, families, and probably even willing to lose the idea of honor that the fire nation has and earn their true honor." Katara proclaimed "Ladies this won't be easy for the three of you, but at least you're willing to do something for the rest of the world. Are you ready to go?" Katara asked.

"Yeah we are." Was all that was said and then the gaang took flight east for Kyoshi island. They arrived two days later at Kyoshi and the girls immediately went to the market. "Ladies we are not here for weapons, only food and clothes. Follow me." Katara told them looking at mai and ty-lee when she said weapons. Katara and the three girls walked around and found plenty of food. The only problem is when the Azula and mai couldn't have the finest clothing.

"Why cant we have the nicer robes?" Azula asked.

"We need disguises you cant walk into the fire nation like that and expect not to be recognized." Katara pointed out.


End file.
